5 Ways Web Content Harvesting can Improve Competitive Intelligence

We live in the era of Big Data. Nowadays, with so much market-related data being gathered and analyzed, intelligence has finally trumped the executive “gut” as the new decision-making apparatus favored by the business world. Compiling and interpreting information (competitive intelligence (CI)) helps businesses maintain a more competitive edge in relation to their competition.

That being said, CI is also a field that’s constantly shifting. From the accelerating pace of technological change to the increasingly complex ways in which data is being generated, businesses today need reliable, timely access to intelligence that isn’t just smart; they need access to intelligence that’s getting smarter.

Web Content Harvesting: One of the Best Tools to Make Your Competitive Intelligence Smarter

Web content harvesting–the process by which internet data is monitored, collected, organized and delivered–is one of the best tools you can utilize to make your business smarter. Here are examples of five ways web harvesting can up the ante if you’re looking to improve your competitive intelligence efforts.

1. Intelligence Right Now

Thanks to the internet, nearly every move your competition makes can be tracked, practically in real-time. Pricing, customer reactions, promotions, staffing shakeups–it’s all right there on the world wide web. Feedback and valuable information related to your own brand is available too; you just need to keep a watchful eye on it and be alerted when a change occurs.

With a robust web content harvesting platform at your disposal, you have reliable, timely access to this information, so that decisions can be made quickly and decisively. Why wait for a quarterly earnings report to find out what your competition is up to? Web data harvesting can provide you with the competitive intelligence you require, practically in real-time.

2. Apply the Filter

Not everything your competitors are up to will qualify as “competitive intelligence.” With a web harvesting platform, you can be selective about the sites, content and data types that will (and won’t) inform your strategy. It’s a path to better intelligence so you can stay informed without being overwhelmed with information.

3. Comment Threads and Forums

Wouldn’t it be great to always know what people were saying online about your competitors? Or perhaps more importantly, your own products and services? By harnessing the power of web content harvesting you can monitor online reviews, comments and forums so you can always stay abreast of what people are saying about you and your competition.

Negative comments and unauthorized sales can chip away at your brand’s value, forcing you to play defense in a less than desirable situation. Whether you want to manage your reputation or your price points, web harvesting can help you transition those defensive moves into bold, offensive plays.

Improve your competitive intelligence by playing a smarter game. With a feature-rich content harvesting platform at your disposal, you can manage the shifts in the market and competitive landscape, while keeping an informed eye on your competitors–and yourself.